The Wicked We Know
by Emerald2345
Summary: With the existance of creatures like vampires, witches, werewolves, and hybrids, the supernatural community of Mystic Falls should not be surprised to discover the existance of more lethal creatures. Especially one with a lot of mystery involving her past.
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER ONE**

(CHAPTER SONG: BREATHING UNDERWATER BY METRIC)

When the roughness of this universe collides with the faithless actions of a broken soul, the results are wicked and sometimes the wickedness turns into pure euphoria.

CARTER DEGRAASI sat on a park bench in the never-empty central park of New York City. Her face devoid of any emotions but her mind swamping with thoughts that haunted her very soul. Life haunted her very soul and the world accommodated it so conveniently. It seemed as though this world accommodated anything that brings about misery. It had no problem tossing burden into the hands of the weak, the broken and the incapable, and for a soul as resenting and unforgiving as Carter's, it is beyond impossible to forgive the damages caused. Beyond impossible.

There was a time, not too far gone, when everything was simple and beautifully normal. Many times she found her mind drifting back to those memories, dwelling in the past and metaphorically crying over spilled milk. She would scold herself for such a letting but the honest truth was that she could not help it. She could not help looking back at how easy and peaceful things were. How wonderful her imperfect life was before it was ripped away by some unknown force. Before her pure soul was turned into a broken, faithless, revolting soul.

Carter released a sigh before standing up and making her way out of the park.

The central park was her escape hatch of some sort. She went there to think and most importantly to escape the dastardly reality. A bit ironic she should go to the central park, a park so well-known and visited by people all over the world, never empty, but it worked for her. Despite the amount of people there every day, she could still isolate herself from everyone and get lost in her thoughts.

Carter began to head in the direction of the coffee shop she worked at. It was small and somewhat homely but she liked it. Unlike the rest of New York it was quiet and not many people visited, maybe that was because it was located in a residential area but she liked it nonetheless. Her boss, Mr Alvin, was a very generous and humble elderly man who, like her, had a fierce passion for literature and art. They discussed it a lot; they never gave up an opportunity to discuss literature. It was one of the few things Carter and Mr Alvin had in common and since he was almost four times her age, she'd learned many things from him since she started working for him. He was a pleasant person to work with.

When Carter entered the coffee shop for her afternoon shift, she was immediately greeted by Mr Alvin who had a pleasant smile on his face as usual. "Good afternoon to you too Mr Alvin. I hope you're having good day?" she walked to the backroom to put on her apron while listening to Mr Alvin. "I am my dear although I enjoy it better when you're here to help me out." She walked out of the backroom and stood behind the counter where old Mr Alvin was drying coffee mugs. She grabbed a napkin and started drying mugs too. "Well I'm here now. How was the business today?" Mr Alvin sighed and shook his head. "Quiet as usual. How was school?" these were the kind of questions they asked each other almost every day. "Boring as usual except of course Literature. We uh, we actually started Jane Eyre today despite the fact that school will be closing in a week's time. 'Said something about preparing us for senior year."

"Ah and I take it you knew all the answers to all of Mr Wellington's questions?" The elderly man smiled as he saw her lips stretched into a knowing smirk. Mr Alvin knew how good she understood Literature and he admired her knowledge. She was too smart for her age. She read, observed, understood and thought like an adult. Unlike himself, who only developed a passion for reading as an adult, Carter started out early and maybe that's why her understanding was deeper.

"I took it easy on him though. Didn't want to embarrass him in front thirty judgemental, hormonal teenagers." she didn't.

Mr Alvin kept quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "You know darling, I was thinking of hiring a helping hand. I'm getting too old to be here all day and you'll need someone to help you out whenever I'm not around. What do you think?" They were now done with drying the coffee mugs and Carter moved on to wiping the counter. **He always does this**, she thought. It became a habit for him to consult with her for every little change he intended to make. It's very thoughtful of him but it kind of made her uncomfortable. What if he didn't like or appreciate her answer?

"It's your shop Mr Alvin and I'm but an employee. I must admit though, it won't be the same without you." Mr Alvin nodded. "I know young Carter but with you taking over my position, this place will do just fine." He smiled and tapped the tip of her nose like she were a little child. Carter looked thoughtful for a moment, pondering over what he just said. "You mean you would make me the manager?" She silently prayed that that was the case. "You're sure right I will. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this place. I know it's not a big busy place but it's been with me for a decade now."

Carter was warmed to hear that. She didn't know what she had done to earn his trust but she wasn't going to complain. "Now I know you won't be here all the time that's why I'll pick someone who's capable of handling things 'round here." He added and Carter nodded lightly.

This was her second year of working for Mr Alvin. She first started when she turned sixteen and things weren't going so well for her. She desperately needed a job and Mr Alvin had been kind enough to grant her one. He had been kind to her from the very beginning and she was grateful to him for that and many other things.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

**AN: Hi everyone. Please excuse the delayed author's note. This is one of my first fanfictions. I hope you guys enjoy and I hope to improve over time. Feel free to let me know what you thing. Just don't insult my existance. And a little side note; I know this is a Enzo/oc fic but he won't be in the early chapters of the story. I just want to introduce you to my OC first so you guys can have a better understanding of her character. Enjoy.**

(CHAPTER SONG: TENNIS COURT BY LORDE)

_In darkness we cannot see anything, or so we think. _

Out of all the days of the week, Carter liked Saturdays the least not because it's the day after an epic Friday night party but because she had an early morning shift at the coffee shop that started at 8:00am, which means that she'd have to abandon her warm and comfortable bed to serve morning people. Not great.

She went into her scanty kitchen after a fresh shower and made herself some coffee. She never left without having her coffee. She sat on her kitchen stool and slowly sipped her coffee while looking at her cell phone screen. She had three missed calls from a private number.

She immediately began to panic. **Could it possibly be one of them?** She thought as she hastily jumped up from the stool, grabbed her backpack and ran out the door.

On her way to work, Carter's mind was swamping with a million thoughts. Her heart was racing faster each time she thought about **them**. Had they finally found her exact location? But if they did, they wouldn't call, they would just barge into her apartment or workplace.

Her workplace! What if they're already there? What if they hurt innocent kind Mr Alvin because it's always the purest and most innocent who get hurt? She couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let anything happen to Mr Alvin because he is the only thing closest to family she has ever had and she wasn't ready to lose him yet.

As the thought of someone hurting Mr Alvin settled in, she picked up her pace to get to the coffee shop. It wasn't far from her apartment, just a ten minute walk and she was thankful to God for that.

Soon she was opening the front door of the coffee shop as the tiny bells jingled above her. As she entered, eyes franticly searched for her sixty-five year old boss.

She spotted him almost immediately. He was standing behind the counter, talking to a young man. She let out a deep breath and her tense features relaxed a bit. She looked around cautiously and spotted nothing out of the usual. There were a few people mostly occupying the back booths and a few occupying the stools in front of the counter. Nothing unusual.

She quickly made her way to the backroom, hastily greeting Mr Alvin on her way. She removed her black, knee-length coat and replaced it with a black apron that had a **Macbeth's **printed on it in emerald green.

Just then Mr Alvin entered the room, a look of concern playing on his features. "Are you alright darling? You seem tense."

She quickly got rid of the tenseness and gave him a sweet smile that was only reserved for him. "I'm fine, just a little sleepy. You know I'm not a morning person."

Mr Alvin looked thoughtful for a moment but didn't push it. "If say so. Anyway there's someone I want you to meet." He took her hand and led her out of the backroom to behind the counter where the young man who he had been talking to earlier stood wearing a black apron identical to hers and old Mr Alvin's.

It was quite obvious that he was the new employee. "Carter this is Aiden Potter, our latest addition to the shop. Aiden this is Carter Degraasi, soon-to-be manager." He introduced them.

Aiden smiled politely and extended his hand for a handshake. They shook hands and exchanged a few words.

"Carter will help adjust to the place while you're new. Feel free to ask her or me anything you wish to know alright?" Mr Alvin informed him politely and Aiden nodded in understanding.

After making the necessary introductions, Mr Alvin went to the backroom where he usually spent most of his days either reading or doing paperwork leaving the two employees to tend to the customers.

Carter served a few customers while Aiden busied himself with drying coffee mugs.

He wasn't that much older than her, maybe just a year. He was tall, about 6 feet tall and masculine. He had a straight, dirty blonde hair that was ear-length and a pair of piercing emerald green eyes. His skin was pale and porcelain and he looked athletic. He was fairly handsome with almost perfect features. He had those typical bad-boy features.

"So, a seventeen year old is my senior?" he asked as he threw the napkin, with which he was drying mugs, over his left shoulder, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

He moved forward and placed his elbow on the counter.

Carter glared at him. "Are you complaining?" she asked, raising one of her eyebrows.

"Nope. I wouldn't dare. Just wondering how you got there." He shrugs.

"You get what you work for Aiden. I thought you would have known that already."

"So you're saying that if I work towards a night out with you I'll get it?"

Carter rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed. "No you won't. You'll just be wasting your time and effort."

"Why not? I'm handsome enough to take you out." He wiggled his eyebrows in a way that put her off.

"That's exactly why I wouldn't go out with you. You think you're handsome which leaves no room for compliments. And besides, I don't know you." She raised an eyebrow, daring him to disagree.

"That's not entirely true. You know my name and a few other things." He countered.

"You're right. I do know a few other things like the fact that you asked me out within our first twenty minutes of meeting, which by the way shows just how poor your work ethics are. You're cocky and forward. Have you even worked before and how old are you?"

His smirk widened. "See you already want to get to know me. I'm eighteen and longer suffering from schoolboy syndrome."

Carter glared at him once again. "Drop-out I'm guessing." She said apathetically.

"You got it wrong Carter. I am way more than a drop-out. I'm an early graduate." Aiden had a goofy smile on his handsome features which she rolled her eyes at.

One of the many reasons why Carter utterly despised high school was because of kids like Aiden; overly-confident and gullible. Their silly attempts to impress the opposite gender and their dying desire to please everyone sickened her at times, adding to her built up desire to get free from the clutches of high school.

Fortunately for her she would soon commence with her final year, making her a senior.

She put on a visibly fake smile that lasted about two seconds and said: "Good for you."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

**Okay! This is three chapters in one night. *Round of applause for me* I hope you guys enjoy it.**

(CHAPTER SONG: DEMONS BY IMAGINE DRAGONS)

_SO THEY DUG YOUR GRAVE AND THE MASQUERADE WILL COME CALLING OUT AT THE MESS YOU MADE._

**RING-RING, RING-RING, RING-RING, RING-**

Carter abruptly hit the snooze button on her alarm and groaned sleepily. She hated waking up before eight and it was currently 6:31am. She sat up and stretched, yawning like a bear.

Today was her first day of senior year at school which means that there will be loads of homework, assignments, projects, tests, silly school events and very little sleep.

She stood up ever-so-slowly and made her way to the bathroom to take one of those long, warm showers she enjoyed so much.

She especially needed it today.

After her thirty minute shower, she walked to her closet and started rummaging through it to find something decent to wear on her first day of school.

She fortunately did have a decent bunch to choose from and she settled for plain navy-blue t-shirt, black tights coupled up with black denim-shorts and a black leather jacket. Yeah, she did love the colour black with passion.

Seeing that she would soon be running out of time if she didn't hurry, Carter began to blow dry her hair hastily. The last thing she needed today was one of the principal's tedious lectures about punctuality or worse, detention.

After blow drying her hair, she quickly ran a brush through them, letting them lose. She then dressed up and threw on ankle-length boots that went with her gothic outfit. She shoved some books into her messenger bag and made her way to the door, looking back once to see if she was forgetting anything.

"This year we'll be covering the major events of the Cold War and the factors that lead to its commencement. Now this will be an interesting topic so I strongly advice that you pay attention to everything, down to the littlest detail. You will be receiving detailed study-guides to-"

"Sorry I'm late"

Mr Greene, the history teacher glared at Carter and sighed in annoyance. One thing he despised was being interrupted and she always did it.

"Miss Degraasi I spoke to you time and time again about interrupting my lessons with your late coming last year. I thought this year would be different."

Mr Greene was one of those bothersome teachers who expected nothing less than perfection from their students. He wasn't on anyone's favourite list mainly due to his quick reflexes when it came to giving punishment.

"I said I was sorry." She retorted.

"You can be sorry about the homework you just earned for the whole class."

Everyone made an 'aaah' sound as some of them shot Carter death glares while others muttered swear-words.

She just rolled her eyes and withdrew her notebook from her bag.

"I want an essay of 400 to 450 words about the events that lead to the Cold War and I want you to share your personal views. As for classwork, take out your textbooks and do activities 1.1 and 1.2 on page 12 and 13. At the end of this lesson all your books must be on my front desk and any failure to do so will result in detention. You can thank Carter for that."

Carter narrowed her eyes in annoyance that would soon turn to anger.

She didn't like being blamed and she certainly didn't like taking responsibility. In the past she had done a handful of things that pricked a teacher in the wrong ways but she personally believed that there was always a good reason behind it.

However Mr Greene was an exception. She treaded carefully with him, avoiding any punishment. The only thing she couldn't help was late coming and she felt perfectly justified in her reasons.

But today, today he was out of line. She was two minutes, not five or ten minutes late like last year, two minutes and he picks her and punishes the whole class.

**Bloody bastard** she thought as she skimmed through the pages of the textbook to find the activities.

Kids oozed out from every class as the bell rang for break, a well needed reprieve. Carter was one of them. She pushed through the crowd to get to the cafeteria.

Break was the only time she could actually be alone; an hour of solidarity.

Making her way to the food-stall in the very large cafeteria of Lincoln High, she bumps into someone and quickly looked up to see who.

She suppressed a groan when her gaze locked with hazel brown ones. Sara Franklin's to be precise.

"Oh I'm sorry Carter, I wasn't looking." She quickly apologised.

The sound of her voice was enough to rile Carter up. "You're not sorry so spare me the fake apologies and puppy dog face. I don't buy it." Carter hissed then walked away without sparing another glance. She absolutely despised that girl. Sara was one of those girls who liked to be pitied by always playing the role of the damsel in distress and what annoyed Carter beyond heights was that people actually fell for it, treating her like a delicate flower.

Carter's distaste for Sara Franklin did not root from jealousy. No, it was because of how she so casually displayed her weaknesses, using them as some tool to gain more attention and everybody gave it to her.

Sweet, innocent Sara who so tragically lost her baby brother when she was just two years of age, must always be treated with complete delicacy.

Shaking her head slightly to get rid of all thoughts Sara, Carter decided suddenly that she didn't want to spend her hour-long break within the walls of this school.

Abruptly changing her direction, she briskly walked out of the school building towards the parking where her motorcycle was parked. She quickly hopped on, wore the helmet and took off.

Entering the busy diner that was around the corner, Carter was greeted with all sorts of aromas, making her stomach growl. She realised that yesterday's lunch was the last meal she had.

Without any delays she slipped into one of the booths at the corner of the diner waiting impatiently for one of the waitresses to come over and take her order.

One did show and took her order, not in the nicest way though, but she didn't mind. After all she wasn't there to make friends; she was there to please her growling tummy.

Carter didn't waste a second when her lunch arrived, grabbing the cheesy burger and taking a big, unlady-like bite out of it. It looked heavenly and tasted even better.

Hastily swallowing down the burger, she popped a hot French fry into her mouth, relishing in the pleasure it gave her taste buds.

Carter was not one to fuss about food but she could definitely get used to eating this every day.

After finishing her lunch off, she lingered for a bit passing time so she wouldn't sit around at school, waiting for break to end. She never liked school and she never will. She personally believed that she didn't need school to increase her knowledge. She was already above school level if you'd ask her, so there was no need to attend. And the fact that her school in particular was a hell mouth didn't help the situation.

But that is no matter. She would be done before she knew it.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**Here's chapter four. I badly want to introduce hunky Enzo as quick as possible. Enjoy.**

(CHAPTER SONG: HUMAN BY CHRISTINA PERRI)

_IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE THE MORNING LIGHT._

Somewhere deep in the woods, a group of people gathered around a bonfire. Each one held a torch of his own.

They all stood up straight, eyes focused on one and only one thing.

A woman.

She was visibly old and frail but maintained a stiff posture. She too held a torch of her own. She was dressed in a long black cloak that was clearly too big for her tiny figure.

She stood on an altar, facing the group of similarly dressed men and women.

"My fellow brothers and sisters," she called out, "I call upon you this night because I have made a frightening discovery last night.

"Through our fallen brothers and sisters I have been informed that far off, over the seas, across our boarders, there is darkness. A darkness never heard off nor seen in the history of mankind. It lives among the pure, disguised as an innocent human. That darkness has the power to destroy us all, to destroy the purity of this universe.

"It is OUR duty to prevent that from happening. It is OUR duty to rid the universe of such darkness. We must find it and destroy it whilst we can, fore there will come a time when we'll be incapable of that."

"Brothers and sisters I have been bestowed with a millisecond vision of the said darkness. She possesses eyes so blue it pierces any soul but most importantly she bares a mark, or will bare a mark. A mark that will convenience us a great deal. On her right arm she will bare a permanent mark of a rising eagle. The mark is no ordinary mark.

"She is no ordinary. We must start the search now. We must destroy her before she destroys us."

Shooting up straight Carter breathed heavily, clutching her t-shirt so very tight, and her horrific dream still playing in her head.

Only it wasn't a dream but more like a vision. Whatever she saw and heard was reality; a warning of some sort.

She only ever had such visions five times before, all coming as warnings of an oncoming danger. Although she didn't recognise the people or the place she dreamed of like before, Carter knew not to disregard this one.

It was real and she needed a plan and a quick one.

All in seconds Carter began to panic. Her body started shaking and her forehead and fingers became sweaty.

She didn't have the slightest clue as to how she should escape this. The possibility of being anything other than human was surreal to her.

How could she be anything else? How could she disguise herself as a human when she could swear upon her soul that she was one?

Carter was certain that she was not evil and she sure as hell wasn't a darkness looming over humanity. She began to doubt her vision.

Maybe it was just a nightmare, she thought. Maybe I'm just being dramatic.

After taking measured deep breathes she laid her head back down, not even attempting to go back to sleep because all her efforts would be futile.

After that night, Carter had no other vision or a dream connecting to it and she stayed firm on her conclusion that it was a mere nightmare. She convinced herself that she was safe for the time being. That she didn't have anything to worry about. She had to believe that or she was afraid she would lose her mind.

So she went on, clinging on to her wavering beliefs, desperately hoping that she was right, that she wasn't naïve or in denial.

So months went by without a single sign appearing to prove her wrong. She went on about her daily life as usual. School, work and home. That was her routine.

One month, two months, five months, ten months went without anything unusual taking place in her life.

Her senior prom as well as her graduation came and went. The day she dreamed of every school day was finally over meaning that she was free to attend any university she wished to with Mr Alvin promising to pay her costs all in all.

She still hadn't decided where she wanted to go but she had all summer to make up her mind. Her life was beginning to change for the better.

Until one day, exactly a month after her graduation.

She was just about ready to jump in the shower when the peripheral of her eye caught on something on her arm.

Slowly bringing her arm up; all oxygen ruthlessly abandoned her when she saw what caught her eye.

Right above her wrist, on the bottom part of her arm she bore a tattoo of a rising eagle, in what looked like dark black ink. It was so very visible against her pale skin. Carter was never fond of tattoos but most importantly she doesn't remember getting one.

Only one conclusion could be drawn from this.

Her worst nightmare was not just a nightmare. It was a vision, reality.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**Hi everyone. This is chapter five for you. Let me just forewarn you that there will be some Elena bashing. Oh and also Stefan. I personally don't like the two characters. Also everything about what Carter is will be revealed bit my bit in the coming chapters.**

(CHAPTER SONG: RADIOACTIVE BY IMAGINE DRAGONS)

_A FRESH START HAS NEVER HURT ANYONE._

A wise man once said that dealing with a problem is a lot wiser than running from it. Then you'll realise that it wasn't all that bad. But what if 'dealing' wasn't an option? What if you already know how bad the problem is? And what if dealing with it brought more harm than good? What if it's insolvable, what then?

Those were the questions no ancient genius bothered asking. It was easy to dish out quotes but never decent answers.

Carter sighed in frustration as yet another car filled in the slot she set her sight on. This has been going on for a good twenty minutes. Every time she spotted an empty slot, another car occupied it.

She never thought that a small, off-the-raider town's college would be this full. In all honesty she imagined it to be close to empty with a few students here and there, nothing like this madness.

She sighed for the millionth time and muttered a few curses loud. Normally she would scold herself for such vulgar attitude but she couldn't bother with such trivial matters today. She had other problems.

Her head pounded due to lack of sleep and the enormity stress was feeling lately. She was certain she would get sick very soon.

After driving around for another five minutes, she found an empty spot and didn't waste another second before parking her car.

With a sigh of relief Carter exited her mini-cooper and withdrew a basket containing some of her clothes and toiletries and slammed the door shut.

Walking up to the building, she stopped just outside the campus' main entrance. She looked at the billboard that read 'Whitmore College campus' and wondered if she had made the right choice.

The past summer was more difficult on her than ever. After discovering the mark on her arm, strange unnatural things started happening to her. She was constantly on edge, constantly in a bad mood. Her body temperature was awfully high and she often had nosebleeds; something she never had before.

All of that was bearable compared to what she felt when she got mad. Her head pounds, eyes burn like they've been exposed to blazing fire and her vision shakes like it was hit by an earthquake. Sleeping at night became a luxury she could not afford and not to mention she had to look over her shoulder at all times.

There was only one reason Carter chose to attend college in this scanty town; it barely existed. It was located in central Virginia with a population of 6, 923 people. It was small and drew in very little attention which was what she needed. They wouldn't come looking for her here.

Technically Whitmore College was located just outside Mystic Falls although that doesn't make any difference, it's still considered to be part of the small town.

Taking one last glance at the exterior of the campus, Carter gracefully walked into the dorm, double checking her room number. She's supposed to be residing in room 28 with two other roommates. She wasn't happy about that but there's nothing she could do because she was two weeks too late.

Tightening her grip on the basket, Carter lifted her left hand and knocked on the door before opening it. She poked her head in to see if anyone was in, then spotted a blond girl standing by one of the beds.

She opened the door wider and fully stepped into the room.

"Who are you?" asked the blond girl rather rudely. She was tall, a little taller than Carter herself, with shoulder length blond hair and a pale skin colour much similar to Carter's. Her eyes were the colour of the sea compared to Carter's crystal icy blue ones. She was pretty in a blond way, still lacking that one essence that would render her truly beautiful.

Carter frowned at her up-front rudeness. She didn't quite appreciate it. "Your new roommate." She moved further into the room examining the two other beds in the room. One was made while the other bore no covers, clearly indicating that that would be hers.

She dropped her basket on it and turned her attention back to the blond girls.

"I wasn't aware we were getting a new roommate." The girl said. She was eyeing Carter sceptically, her sea-blue eyes sizing her up. Her expression was that of a detective eyeing a suspect.

"I'm sure you're aware now. If you'll excuse me, I have some unloading to do." She wasn't about to enter into some petty confrontation with a blond who is clearly fond of drama. She had bigger problems to worry about. The last thing she needed was girl drama.

Opening the boot of her car, Carter withdrew a large, heavy suitcase. It landed on the ground with a thud. She sighed and attempted to load out the other one, a smaller, but failed. Groaning loudly, Carter slammed the boot shut and started dragging the large suitcase all the way to the dorm.

It was heavy and with her lack of energy, she struggled to pull it but she didn't stop. She was determined to get it into her dorm room.

However when she reached the stairs she realised that she couldn't carry it up all by herself. She definitely needed help. She sighed in raw frustration as she let go of the suitcase and kicked it. _Great!_ She thought.

In an attempt to calm down, Carter sat down on the steps, taking deep breaths. As of late her temper became horrid and she often lost it in the span of five seconds over trivial matters. She was always on edge, like the slightest prick and she would explode.

But that is what she was afraid of; exploding because she loses all control and Carter hates that. She hates not being in control.

"Need some help there?" She was snapped out of her musing at the sound of another voice. She stood up and looked at the figure before her.

It was a young boy, around her age or maybe a year or two older. He had sleepy eyes and a sad mouth.

"Yea actually I do need help carrying this dastardly suitcase up the stairs. Think you can help me?" she asked politely or at least what she thought was polite.

The boy nodded immediately and reached down for her suitcase. "Sure."

She murmured a 'thank you' before following up the stairs. Once he was done climbing, she quickly took it from him, saying that she could take it from there.

"Thank you…?" she drawled.

"Aaron." He quickly filled in. Carter gave him a charming smile.

"I'm Carter." She introduced herself for the first time since she arrived here.

Opening the door once again, Carter wasn't surprised to see the blond girl still in the room. She ignored her presence though and started unpacking boxes and suitcases.

She was lucky she arrived on a Friday afternoon because she would die if she had classes the next day.

Unpacking proved to be a hell of a job and her excessive collection of novels only worsened things. By the time she was done, she felt like an empty battery in desperate need of a boost.

She collapsed onto her bed and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths. She was extremely hungry and exhausted beyond imagination. She wanted to get out and eat but she was just too tired to move a muscle so she fell into oblivion for the first time in four days.

Darkness plagued the night with the crescent moon serving as the only light.

It was cold and snowy. There were trees all over the place and not a single building in sight. The night was silent except for the occasional whoosh of the winter wind.

Then chanting began and the night was silent no more. It began slowly and softly but with each passing second, it gained speed and volume. The voices were loud, piercing the winter air.

The chanting just got louder and louder.

"Keep going!" shouted a familiar female voice.

And with that command the chanting got louder and stronger. Although the voices were heard, there was no sight of a single being, only trees.

As abruptly as it began, the chanting stopped. Pin drop silence fell over the forest.

"What is it? What have you seen Silar?" again it was that very same female voice. There was a pregnant pause before another voice was heard.

This time it was a man who spoke.

"It is what I didn't see Mistress. I am sorry to tell you this but there is something cloaking the girl. Something I cannot identify."


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX**

**Hey everyone. Let me just say that I loved all your reviews and they got me excited and motivated. I love to hear from y'all. Please continue to tell me what you think. Here's chapter six.**

(CHAPTER SONG: BOY BY NINA NESBITT)

_THE WORST THING ABOUT FEELING EMPTY IS THAT YOU NEVER REALLY FEEL EMPTY _

The campus buzzed with people as students went in and out of different classrooms.

Considering its location, Carter found it irritating how many students the college had. This was supposed to be a quiet town with a small population.

She huffed as she looked around trying to spot her next class but found no luck. She glanced at her schedule to double check and she wasn't wrong. Sociology in room A3.

She started walking down the hallway reading door numbers. How difficult is it to bloody find a classroom?

Still looking at classroom doors and not anything else, she bumped into someone stumbling back a bit as she did. She looked up only to lock eyes with blue-eyed goldilocks who she shares a room with.

"uhm sorry. I'm just running late for class." The blond apologised quickly and a lot friendlier than the last time they talk which was last week Friday.

"Apparently I'm running late too." Carter said, dismissing her apology and glancing done at her schedule. "Can't seem to find it though." She added.

"What do you have?" asked the blond, her voice carrying an innocent tone.

"Sociology. Room A3." Carter blurted out immediately.

The blond smiled and took a step towards Carter. "Well lucky for you we have the same class. Come on follow me. I'm Caroline by the way."

Carter released the breath she was holding and followed the blond who now had a fitting name; Caroline. "I'm Carter. Thank you for helping me." She said as they entered the classroom and Caroline nodded in understanding.

After attending three tiring lessons, Carter visited a coffee shop near the campus.

It was full of college students and some working adults who were probably on tea-break. It was a stereotypical small-town coffee shop where the owner was the sole operator of the business and knew almost everyone who came in by name.

It wasn't small but it wasn't large either. Just the right size for its location.

She sauntered in towards the counter where a small queue was formed and got in line. There were only about three people ahead of her but she could wait.

Standing in that queue brought back memories of her days at Macbeth's with Mr Alvin and Aiden. It sent a wave of nostalgia through her. She realised, only now, how much she missed them, how much she missed their pleasant company. They were like family the three of them.

In the beginning, Aiden and she didn't get on much. They constantly bickered. She was repulsed by his ways and he was just happy to get under her skin but through their bickering, the two developed an odd brother-sister relationship. They disagreed and argued but they also learnt how to tolerate each other and later that tolerance turned into friendship.

A strong friendship.

In the span of her life, Carter had never valued friendship. She saw it as a sign of weakness and she avoided it. Even back in school she preferred to be on her. She just couldn't afford to care for someone who will let her down.

Friends thought that they had this unbreakable bond, that one would always be there for the other but she knew better.

By God she knows better.

Shaking her head to rid herself of her musings, Carter reached the counter where she was met with a friendly faced waitress.

"Hi. How can I help you?" The waitress' voice was awfully cheery.

Carter resisted the urge to role her eyes. "One black coffee please." She ordered.

The waitress immediately began to move around. Carter waited, looking around the coffee shop. She liked its interior. It was warmly welcoming and she imagined herself coming here to get some peace and quietness.

It reminded her of Macbeth's and that warmed her. She smiled at the thought of that coffee shop.

Her coffee shop.

Soon the waitress had her coffee ready and she fished out some bills and gave it to the waitress.

Before leaving the queue, she took a sip of her coffee and savoured the rich taste it left on her taste buds.

Turning around to exit the shop, Carter bumped into a figure, spilling her newly purchased, hot black coffee all over her grey shirt.

She was momentarily distracted by the taste of her coffee that she forgot she was in a queue with people standing behind her.

"Ugh damn it!" she cursed as she felt the hot liquid burn her pale skin.

"Forgive me. I didn't realise your proximity."

A man apologised hastily, aiding her with serviettes to wipe the offending colour off her shirt.

Without looking up at him, Carter grabbed the serviettes and began to wipe aggressively at her shirt. She was irritated by her clumsiness. She hated clumsy people and she always took pride in her impeccable balance. So this annoyed her.

After wearing out several serviettes she finally looked up at the man before her.

He stood an inch or two taller than her, with polished blond hair and mysterious blue eyes. His posture was perfectly straight and he looked straight into her eye, his stance radiating confidence.

"I'm the one who should apologise. I got a bit distracted there. Although you did ruin my shirt." She replied to his earlier apology not really meaning any of it.

She was never a sincere person. She did, however, excel in the art of lying and pretending.

"I guess I owe you coffee then?" he had a slight smirk playing on his pink lips as he quirked a single brow. From the way he spoke, Carter picked up that he was a very confident man, mainly due to his attractive looks she guessed. But she also knew that something else triggered such confidence.

Men always pretended to be confident but only a handful of them possessed that confidence which they so shamelessly display. And if she were correct, this man was one of them.

Carter's pouty lips quirked up into a smirk. "I guess you do." She replied, stepping aside to give him way to get to the counter.

"By the way I like my coffee black." She added as she fiddled with the hem of her almost dry shirt.

"I know." Was his lone response. He smirked when he saw Carter's expression. "I heard you when you ordered it earlier." He further explained unknowingly relieving her.

She laughed mirthlessly and shook her head slightly. "For a moment there you had me thinking I was talking to a stalker. My stalker."

No.

She wasn't thinking of a stalker, she was thinking that maybe he was a part of the lunatic witches and warlocks who were out to have her head. Stalker was putting it lightly.

"Although eavesdropping is a common stalker trait." She added, now much calmer than a few seconds ago. She couldn't get freaked out about everything if she wanted to remain sane.

The man, who yet had to give her his name, chuckled and handed her a hot cup of black coffee.

Immediately she took a satisfying sip of her coffee and savoured the taste once again. All the while the man watched her with curiosity.

"Am I forgiven for ruining your shirt?" he asked.

Looking at him properly, she nodded slightly and took another sip of her deliciously made black coffee.

"So mysterious-coffee-spilling-guy do you have a name?" she finally asked.

Since her weird frightening visions started, Carter made a point to know everyone she interacted with by name. It would be easier to recall them if they turned out to be harmful later on.

The man suddenly seemed to have remembered something he forgot and stretched out his hand for her to shake.

"Excuse my bad manners. I'm Dr Wes Maxfield but you can call me Wes since you're not one of my students."

Carter shook his hand gently and introduced herself. "Carter Degrassi. Not one of your students." She repeated what he said before with a slight smirk.

Wes chuckled and let go of her hand slowly and dare she think reluctantly? She shook the thought off instantly.

"So doctor, what exactly do you do?" she asked.

By now they were slowly making their way out of the coffee shop and on the main road that lead back to the campus.

"I'm a lecturer at Whitmore College. I teach micro-biology. I'm guessing that's the same college you're attending?" Wes was a very perceptive man who barely missed a detail. She learned that within the few minutes she spent with him.

He was intelligent and extremely observant. The way he posed questions without sounding suspicious or too interested was amusing. It peaked Carter's interest. She herself was a very observant person and she too never missed even the dullest of details. Her ability to mask her inner emotions with a stoic exterior gave her advantage over many people. So no, she had never been intimidated by an observant person, no matter how smart they were.

"Is this town that small?" she asked with a scoffed.

"You don't like small towns?" he was digging for information, why? She could not tell but she decided to play along.

"Not my playground. What about you? You enjoy small-town life?" She was differing. For a good reason. She practically just met the guy, she couldn't let him in on her past or present life. Instead she directed all the questions to him.

"I cannot say I like it but I cannot say I don't either. I lived here my whole life, it's part of who I am."

Carter and Wes continued with their small talk while they sipped on their coffees until they reached the campus.

Their conversation, although brief, was a very interesting one. Carter avoided all questions asked about her and managed to successfully coax some answers from him.

In all honesty, Wes was not a very open person and he seemed extremely smart so he wasn't easily fooled but he was an easy converser and that made things that much better. She wasn't much of talker but if there was one thing she hated the most, it was awkward people who were unable to make a conversation go smoothly and Dr Wes Maxfield was anything but awkward.

He was mysterious, suspicious and vague but not awkward.

And she was interested.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**Hey people! I'm sorry for the wait. I've been busy lately but here's a new chapter. I would like to thank all those who reviewed and I'd also like to thank my silent readers. This chapter sees an interaction between Caroline and Carter. Beware! Enzo will make an appearance soon, I'll let y'all know how soon. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoy this chapter. Please tell me what you think!**

(CHAPTER SONG: CITY OF ANGELS BY THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS)

_IN LIFE WE ARE EITHER BOUND BY THAT WHICH__ WE__ CHASE OR THAT WHICH CHASES US._

Exhausted and sweaty, Carter slammed the door, heaving a deep sigh as she sat down on her bed, carefully removing her running shoes, trying not to get sweat on the sheets. She just came from an hour long jog and her body was gross, dripping of sweat and all she wanted to do was take a long cleansing shower.

Just as she stood up to gather her shower things, she heard a groan coming from the bed next to hers. Looking at it, she now only realised that the empty bed next to hers was occupied by someone.

Since she arrived almost two weeks ago, that bed had been empty. Was she that self-absorbed that she hadn't noticed the presence of a second roommate? Probably.

"Ugh could you be any louder? I don't think you've woken the entire dorm just yet." A groggy voice dripping with sarcasm was the next thing she heard.

The person was still wrapped up under the covers and she couldn't spot a face.

"It's not my fault you're a light sleeper." She said before entering the bathroom for a much needed shower and slamming the door once again.

After what felt like forever, Carter exited the foggy bathroom with a towel wrapped around her slim figure. By now both roommates were up and about while talking in hushed voices.

Although all talking ceased as she entered the room.

Not fazed by the abrupt silence, Carter looked at the two girls before her, her gaze particularly falling on the one she hadn't met or seen before.

She was tall with long, wavy chocolate brown hair, olive skin and eyes matching her hair colour. She stood next to Caroline, staring right back at Carter with a sneer.

Carter shook her head.

"I don't have time for petty girl drama." She said before moving towards her section of the wardrobe to pick out her outfit for the day.

After scurrying through her clothes, she decided to go with a pair of black skinny-jeans, a white sleeveless blouse, and a leather jacket. She fished out a pair of studded Dr Martin boots to match her outfit.

Whatever Carter thought would come out of one of the girls' mouths was completely and utterly different from what came next. "Cool tattoos. Where did you get them from?"

She froze momentarily, taken aback. Those words hit her like a wave would hit a ship on a particularly stormy night. The girl's tone was blunt but carried a hint of curiosity.

Curiosity.

That was the first thing she was alerted off.

Those who hunt her, they would make certain that she was the right person before slaughtering her. They would ask questions before that. Ask her where and how she got such tattoos. They would show curiosity and dig deeper before they know she is the pray; the one who must be slaughtered to save the _innocence_ of this universe.

How could she be so foolish to reveal her markings to a pair of strangers? Strangers who could potentially end her existence.

Her heartbeat picked up speed as she thought of the possibility of dying today. She'd been so naïve, thinking that she would be safe in this little town. She could possibly die today!

Slowly turning to face the girls, Carter willed her heartbeat to stop racing and plastered on a wicked smirk that betrayed none of her inner turmoil.

"Thanks." She drawled out without answering the second question before she rushed into the bathroom to change.

Entering her first class of the day, Carter took a seat and immediately flipped open her books. This was one of the lessons she had to put all her focus on.

Political science was not an easy subject and as a law student, she had to understand it down to its littlest detail. She couldn't afford any slip ups that would result in a low score.

Thankfully, the lecturer didn't waste any time starting the day's lesson. She had come to realise that Professor Timbershore was a straight-down-to-work kind of guy and when he gave his lessons, he gave them with sheer passion. She loved that about him.

For as long as she could recall, Carter dreamed of becoming a lawyer. She had a great passion for it. As a young teenager, she knew exactly what she wanted to become when she grew up. It has always been one thing. And her love for that career did not root from the desire to achieve justice but rather the abilities that come along with the job.

A lawyer fights to get his/her point across. They have the ability to completely change a person's beliefs and opinions with mere words. With their words, they are able to make the bad guy look like the good guy and vice-versa.

But what she loves most about that profession is the ability to decipher the most complex codes, the ability to find out the deepest of answers. And that is precisely why she chose law.

She wanted to get to the bottom of the most difficult, most vague cases.

Caroline huffed as she entered the campus library. Today has been an epic failure, what with gaining zero information from a compelled Wes.

She sat down on one of the armchairs and withdrew her books. Micro-biology 101 was more complex than anything she'd ever come across and it was only first year.

She'd strangle Elena right now.

She was supposed to be a Drama major doing all the fun things drama students do, not sitting in a dreadful library with books that had gibberish written all over them.

Oh she would so strangle Elena.

As she opened her books, she spotted _her_ entering the library with all her glory. Immediately Caroline sprang to her feet and approached Carter. She wasn't friends with the girl or anything but she wanted to be friendly.

"Hey." Caroline greeted a little awkwardly.

"Yes?" Carter replied dryly.

"So I just wanted to apologise on behalf of my friend. She's uh; she's just going through a rough patch. She's usually a very nice person." her apology was a bit sloppy but she thought she sounded convincing.

Carter raised an eyebrow. "Really? Funny I didn't notice that. I'm usually a very observant person."

"Look, just give her a chance okay? I'm sure you'll like her when she's back to her old self which will probably be soon." She really hoped Elena would return soon. She couldn't take one more day with Katherine pretending to be her best friend.

"I don't have to give anyone a chance Caroline and your friend, whoever she is, doesn't bother me. Trust me; I've dealt with the Heathcliffs of the twenty-first-century."

"Elena. That's her name." she snapped, not liking the Heathcliff reference she made.

Carter stared her down with an un-amused look before her lips pulled into a careless smirk.

"It doesn't matter. I could care less about her mood swings." And with being said, she walked away leaving an irritated blond behind.

Caroline shook her head lightly as she watched Carter walk away. The girl's attitude made it difficult to like her. She was rude, awkward, and very uninterested in anything. She was also arrogant and inconsiderate which really irked Caroline.

Although she's occasionally rude and insensitive, Caroline was generally a nice person with a kind heart. She loved her family and friends dearly but she also loved making new friends, which is why she was trying to warm up to Carter.

She just wanted to make her feel welcomed.

And she was hoping to find out if Carter had anything to do with the secret society Dr Wes was part of.

She'd seen them hang out on a few occasions and it wouldn't seem odd to her had Carter been one of his students but she wasn't. She was a Law student and Dr Wes was a Science teacher.

Maybe she was just over-analysing things again, but their newly developed friendship struck her as an odd thing.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**Here's another chapter. **

**Beware! Our favourite vampire will make an appearance very very soon. Next chapter. I'm working on chapter nine and let me just warn you that it might be a little shorter than the other chapters. Also I haven't forgotten about Carter and her supernatural abilities. That will be explained further, probably after chapter nine. I want to thank all of you who gave my story a chance, my active readers and my silent readers. Thank you all. Please continue to read my story and don't shy away from telling me what you think (just don't insult my existance). Annnnnndd Happy Heritage Day to all South Africans! Have a lovely holiday!**

(CHAPTER SONG: FUEL TO FIRE BY AGNES OBEL)

_IT IS SAID THAT ALL EVIL ROOTS FROM GOOD._

With each passing day, Caroline was getting more and more suspicious of their roommate. She was a strange girl; unlike any Caroline had ever met before. But she was also oddly weird, which made her anxious.

With everything that happened the past three years, she learned it the hard way never to overlook odd things. She learned to trust her instincts and her instincts were telling her to be careful with Carter Degrassi. She was not what she appeared to be.

She has a dark aura, or she thinks she has a dark aura; Caroline doesn't know but she doesn't want to push it aside too.

She would talk to Elena about it but her best friend was back home, sorting out the Stefan/Silas issue and the only other person who's not a stranger to her in this campus was Katherine, who is pretending to be Elena, and Caroline would rather drink vervain water than tell her anything; especially when it came to such delicate matters.

She may be wrong about Carter but even if she was not, she just didn't have it in her to expose a possible innocent to a horrific person like Katherine Pierce. She couldn't.

She was a good vampire.

But she had to find out if Carter was a possible danger. She didn't seem like the type to be merciful about anything and if her friendship with Wes was about something bigger, she would need to tell her friends so they can all come up with a plan to eradicate the threat she poses, probably without killing anyone.

Between Carter Degrassi and Wes Maxfield, Caroline just doesn't know what to think anymore.

She noticed the two hanging out a lot the past few weeks. She'd seen them together in between classes and during breaks. Although she is unaware of the type of relations they have, she is quite certain that a sexual relationship between a professor and a student was not permissible.

There might be doing just that discretely, or Carter might be apart of whatever the hell Wes was up to.

Caroline hoped it was the former because God knows she can't deal with yet another threat.

Not now.

Not this year.

"So let me get this straight; you ditched your student to come all the way here and have a cup of coffee with me?"

Carter sat on a stool facing Wes in the coffee shop near the campus, giving him a pointed look with one raised eyebrow.

"I don't see anything wrong with that." Came his reply after taking a sip of his coffee. He was smirking.

"You know you might get into trouble for this?" her tone was serious and a tad bit edgy as she pinned him with a sharp look, her blue eyes never faltering.

Carter was aware of the whispers and rumours that have been spreading like a wildfire throughout the campus and she didn't mind at all but that doesn't mean they are true. In fact, everything that is said about her and Wes is not true.

And while she was aware, Wes was oblivious to all the talks. Or at least that's what he pretended to be. It bugged her how he dismissed everything. He was a professor and she was a student. They were forbidden to engage in a sexual/romantic relationship and the consequences were severe for violation of college rules.

She wouldn't mind if it was high school, but this was college and most importantly, her hiding place. She could not jeopardise her chances of running a smooth life in college. She didn't want any trouble that's why she found these rumours an issue.

And it irked her to see the doctor playing dump.

"For having coffee with a student?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"For spending way too much time with a student who is not your student. You're a professor which means the authorities are free to assume anything and I wouldn't exactly blame." She snapped her annoyance visible in her tone.

"Carter, you're an excellent student with the brain of a scientist and I am a man of science. There's nothing wrong with two minds alike sharing ideologies."

"Except I'm a law student. I have nothing to do with science or micro-biology."

"Yea about that-"

She leaned back, knowing what he was about to say.

"Wes if you're going to talk to me about switching courses again, let me just tell you you're in for a colossal disappointment. "She interrupted. By now her coffee mug was empty and a waitress came over to refill it. She thanked her silently while waiting for Wes to continue.

He was ambitious, she noticed a long time ago. If only she possessed such ambition, she would not be hiding out in a small-town college but out in the world attending the University of her Choice; maybe Yale or Princeton. All she'd have to do was get a bursary or sponsorship and she would be set.

Instead, here she is, fraternising with a professor with hidden agendas.

Yes, she was aware of Dr Wes Maxfield's secrets but she just can't figure out what is it that he is hiding. He seems adamant on trying to get her to switch courses and train under him. She doesn't know why though.

That's why she's been spending a lot of time with him these past weeks, trying to coax information out of him without seeming interrogative or suspicious but Wes was a hard nut to crack. He knew how to speak, revealing only that which he wishes to reveal. Had it not been for her supernatural senses, she'd never realise that he was hiding things.

"I don't see why you would refuse my offer. You are clearly smart enough to take up medicine. You have the potential to achieve greatness in the medical field. Your kind is made for medicine, not law. I'm not entirely sure why you'd go for a common course like law. " he had his convincing tone on and his expression was stern.

"I chose law because I love it. I'm sorry Wes; I can't switch nor work with you. But I could shadow you for a while and see if I change my mind, if that makes any difference."

Carter was not changing her dream course just to quell her curiosity. She loved law and she wouldn't change it for anything else. It was her dream and she owed it to herself to achieve it.

So no. She will not switch to medicine because she is curious about a doctor with a hidden agenda. She'll find other ways to get to the bottom of things, if there was a bottom that is.

Wes nodded his head lightly, his lips pressed in a thin line. He looked as if he was holding himself back from saying anything.

"Alright. I'll take what I can get then." He said with a tight smile.

"That's good." She said before standing up and collecting her oversized bag. "I have to get going now. I'll see you around?"

"Absolutely. I'll let you know when we can get to work. I must warn you though, I don't go easy on anything. There'll be a lot work."

"Don't fret doctor. I can handle it, just let me know when we can get started."


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hey guys! I'm really sorry to disappoint you so but this is not a new chapter. I just wanted to tell y'all that I'm sorry for taking forever to update. I've been really busy trying to publish my own book (which I'm still busy with) and work and school. I just didn't want to thrust a crapy chapter your way for the sake of updating. I'll try really hard to get time to do it this week but please be patient with me. I have a lot on my plate this month. I hope y'all understand.

-Fartun Egal


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER NINE**

_**Hey people I'm back with chapter nine. I want to apologise for the lack of updates for some time. I was and still am very busy. I know I said that chapter nine would be shorter than other chapters but I changed my mind because it wouldn't be fair for me to be gone so long and come back with a short chapter. **__**In this chapter, our favourite vampire makes an appearance and you'll get to see a different side to Carter. And also, you'll witness a little torture session.**_

_**I want to a**__**d**__**dress the issue concerning my English, or rather my way of writing. I had a few readers sending me PMs about some of the words I use and the way I use them. I am a South African and despite the diversity of this country I don't speak any of it's languages except for English. The way I use some of the words or the way I spell them is just the South African way of doing so. I can't change that, Okay? **_

_**I want to thank those who read, followed, favourited, and reviewed my story. It means a lot. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please continue to let me know what you think.**_

_**(Chapter Song: Not Your Fault by Awolnation)**_

_**Concealers are watchers**_

"Wes? You in here?"

Carter lightly tapped on the door of the lab before she twisted the knob, opening the door slowly.

"Wes!" She called out again.

Wes was supposed to meet her for coffee at that coffee shop near the campus an hour ago. She'd been waiting there right after her last class of the day and when she reached there, Wes was nowhere to be found. She thought it weird because he was a very puntual man and she was the one who kept him waiting, not the other way around.

After sitting in that coffee shop for almost an hour, she decided to go back to the campus to see if he was still there.

Not finding him in his classroom, she decided to check him in his lab.

That's how she was currently standing in his lab, her eyes darting around searching for any sign of him.

Groaning with a sigh, Carter swiftly withdrew her phone and dialled his number once again.

First ring.

Second ring.

Third ring.

Fourth ring.

Voicemail.

She huffed in annoyance and put her phone back in her pocket. He was wasting her time and she had enough of it.

Turning on her heels to leave, Carter's ears picked up a very faint sound. It was distinct but with the help of her supernatural hearing, she could swear she heard a groan. A hoarse one.

She looked around the lab once again, her eyes searching for the source of the sound she heard. The lab was devoid of any living thing, except for her.

There were chemicals of different colours packed away neatly in racks. There was an aluminium table in the middle of the room. A not too large fridge occupied the far corner of lab. A few lab equipment were placed here and there, nothing unusual.

Although she did find the curtain in the middle of the room a bit weird.

She walked around the table and moved the curtain to one side.

The other side was almost empty, except for a table with straps on the corners, next to a door.

Her heels clicked on the floor as she made her way to the second door. 'Maybe he's in there' she thought silently. Reaching out for the handle, she froze when she heard another groan. This one was much louder than the previous one, and much closer too. It sounded as if the person or thing was behind the door.

Swallowing down her uneasiness, Carter gathered her courage and twisted the knob slowly and cautiously. The door screeched as it opened. Her heart was beating rapidly at this point. She felt as if she was entering a trap.

Before she opened the door fully, she took a moment to breathe in deeply then opened the screeching door widely.

Even though she knew something was off, her sight could never have been prepared for what she spotted next.

On a large table, much similar to the one in the other room, lay the most gruesome sight.

Strapped on that table was a bloody man. So bloody that he was soaked in it. His face was barely visible, his hair stuck to his forehead. The man's arms, middle section, and legs were all strapped to the table.

But the most disturbing sight was the state he was in.

His mid-section, starting from his chest down, was full of cuts. Deep cuts that gushed out blood.

It was horrific.

"God, what happened to you?" She asked. She took a few steps closer to him. He looked like he was passed out. His body was motionless until he slowly turned his head in her direction, staring at her through barely opened eyes.

She stood frozen on her spot.

"Tell me-you're the Angel of Mercy." His voice was hoarse, agonyfilled and barely audible.

Carter was surprised to hear him speak, and joke. In his state she have expected nothing more than groans and moans of pain to escape his lips. She didn't expect sarcasm.

"Who are you?" She asked in a whisper. She almost didn't expect him to hear her.

"The name's Enzo, darling."

Heavy footsteps were heard in the empty hallways of the large, almost empty residence, the sound of boots slamming against the flourished tiles, alerting the residents or rather the resident, of their arrival.

A woman of old age , frail and slender, appeared from one of the many chambers in the manor. She stood straight, her poster stiff as she fixed the forthcoming figure with an unwavering glare.

The figure belonged to a sickly pale, six foot tall man, dressed in a long black cloak.

"What news have you?" Asked she.

"We found a lead." He answered.

"And?"

"She's in America."

The old woman seemed to be pondering on something before a pleased look overcame her features.

"Very well then. We must start the search immediately. We must leave Europe tonight."

"What happened to you?" Carter asked once again. This time her voice was much stronger than before. The sight of him did not affect her as severely as it did a few minutes ago.

She walked around the table to stand by his side, closely inspecting his gruesome cuts. "And most importantly, how are you still alive?" She added when she saw the depths of his cuts.

The man did not answer her immediately but she didn't notice as she was too busy looking at the cuts all over his torso.

She noticed some thing strange.

"You can ask the delightful Dr Wes Maxfield all about how I'm still alive." He replied, his voice weak and barely louder than a whisper.

Her head jerked back in surprise. She wasn't sure if she heard that quite right.

"Dr Maxfield?" She asked just to clarify. Her head was currently spinning with so many different thoughts.

"The one and only."

Taking a few steps back, Carter turned her back on the bloody man as she tried to digest the little information she'd just received. This man, Enzo, basically said that Wes had something to do with what happened to him. It was crazy to think of it that way but everything was crazy these days. She didn't know what to think but she wanted to know more. She wanted to know more of what Wes has been hiding.

She needed to know more.

"What does Wes have to do with all of this?" She asked determinedly.

"I would say everything." He replied.

"That's not a good enough answer. You're going to have to stop being vague with me." She snapped.

He tried to chickle but choked instead.

"It's part of my British charm." He choked out.

Carter huffed in annoyanced as she walked closer to him.

"Let's play a little game called Truth or Pain. I don't think I have to explain the rules of the game to you." She said with a little menace.

She was running out of time and patience. Wes could walk into this lab at any moment and she did not want him to catch her here. She did not want anyone to know about what she had learned or what she is about to learn.

"Who did this to you?" She asked and waited for a respond.

"Sexy and brutal. I like that." Was the reponse she received.

With narrowed eyes she looked around the room searching for something specific. When she found it, she lunged forward and grabbed. She slipped on the sergical gloves and turned her attention to the man strapped on the table.

"I see you like it rough." She said before she roughly shoved her fingers into one of his open cuts, grabbing hold of some nerves and twisting them roughly, eliciting a painfilled groan from him.

"Just answer the damn question." She hissed.

She withdrew her now bloody hand to give him a chance to speak although she had to wait a while before he had the strength to speak.

"Today must be my lucky day." His breathing was heavy and his voice hoarse. "If you must know, Dr Wes tends to get a little too creative when experimenting on his test subjects."

"Wes experiments on humans, living humans?" She asked in disbelief.

"Not humans darling." She stopped herself from shoving her hand back down into his open wound.

She despised pet names.

"Call me darling one more time and I will show you what real pain feels like." She snapped, glaring dangerously at him.

For some strange reason, there were no heart monitors around or connected to him and despite his heavy bleeding, he was not dead. She found that weird and encouraging. She had this reassuring feeling that she wasn't about to commit murder and she wasn't bothered by the state he was in anymore. At frist, when she entered the room and laid eyes on him, she nearly vomited at the sight of him but now she felt normal, as if she was used to seeing people with gruesome wounds all over their torso.

The other strange thing she noticed was that her right hand, the one she used to get answers out of him, was tingliing with an odd sensation. It felt as if her vains were being tickled.

It wasn't normal.

"Someone's feisty." He breathed out.

She decided to ignore that and move on to her next question.

"If not humans, then what? You're clearly not a rat."

He turned his head fully to her with a hint of a smirk on his features. His eyes were barely open and they had circles of dried blood around them.

"Vampires."

And like a lightening bolt, her hand went right into his open wound, twisting his nerves once again, this time more roughly than before. He squirmed under her gruesome hold, his body jerking up in pain.

"Wrong answer." She said, pulling her hand out. "You might want to start giving me real answers because I'm running out of patience with you."

"I knew you were not the brightest crayon in the pack. Vampires are real, darling."

And again, she shoved her hand back into his cut. "Again, wrong answer."


End file.
